Chugach Electric approves solar project

The board of Southcentral Alaska utility Chugach Electric Association has authorized a project to install a solar power system composed of about 2,000 solar panels at an Anchorage site on Chugach Electric property on the east side of Minnesota Drive, south of International Airport Road. Referred to as the Chugach Community Project, the idea is to finance the project through the sale of shares in the project to Chugach Electric’s members. During the 25-year life of the project a member who purchases shares will be credited monthly with solar energy in proportion to the number of shares that the member owns.

The start of construction, anticipated in April, 2018, will depend on the sale of 80 percent of the shares on offer, with the sale of the shares expected to start in March.

The solar power facility is expected to generate about 550 megawatts of power per year, an amount of power equivalent to 15 percent of the average electricity consumption of 500 homes, Chugach Electric says. The utility says that it surveyed 700 of its members about sustainable energy and interest in community solar power. Of those surveyed, 63 percent favored the community solar project while 60 percent said that they would be willing to pay more for their electricity in order to use solar power, Chugach Electric says.

In February the Chugach board formally changed its business philosophy to measure its performance through environmental and social factors, as well as through financial parameters.

“The sustainability resolution we passed earlier this year underscores our commitment to long-term, sustainable energy resources, and this project aligns well with that focus,” said board Chair Janet Reiser. “Our members have shown great interest in community solar, and we are pleased to be moving forward on serving that interest.”

“We continue to work toward developing renewable energy sources and allow any retail member to use solar energy,” said Chugach Electric CEO Lee Thibert. “We can achieve great economies of scale in a community project, which will allow any member who can’t have solar panels at home to have solar power as part of their energy mix.”

- ALAN BAILEY